The Gaines couple and Eastman Business College, Class of 1888 in Po’keepsie

Photos of the 1888 class as well as President and Treasurer, Clement C. Gaines and Mrs. C. C. Gaines.

Here’s what the documentation shows: Mr. Clement Carrington Gaines was born on March 15, 1857 in Charlotte county, VA according to a passport application. He was 53 at the time of the application in 1911. The wife Elizabeth he listed was 27. Likely NOT the same wife as in this class photo.

In 1880, the closest census to this photo, 23 year old Clement was living at home in Virginia with his parents and siblings. Parents were Richard V. and either Virginia or Elizabeth Gaines (different names in different years). Clement was listed as a student, his father a farmer. By 1900, Clement had married Mirina E. who was 13 years his senior. They lived in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY. Clement was a teacher. I believe it is Mirina who is pictured here as Mrs. C. C. Gaines.

The could had no children listed as living with them. But, thank goodness for the 1892 NY census, in that year, in Poughkeepsie, Clement was 38, a professor, no wife was listed, but a young Minerva Gaines was 14 years old. This was likely Mirina’s daughter, but I can’t find anything else after that one census. Was this a mis-recorded wife? Had Mirina already died?

By 1920, second wife Elizabeth had entered the picture. She and Clement, now 62, still lived in Dutchess county, NY with 4 small children – aged 7 to 2. I hope Clement had a lot of energy!

An additional list of life events follows on his Find A Grave memorial. According to that site, he died in 1943 and is buried in Gaines Family Cemetery in Virginia. Other photos of the couple are for sale in an autograph book listed here.

ok, If Wikipedia’s to be believed, and it often is, M M is Mary Minerva Clark who married Harvey G. Eastman the founder of Eastman Business College. He died in 1878. I believe Minerva/Mirina to be one in the same.
I’m obsessing, time to step away…